Rocket's Red Glare
by Captain Hilts
Summary: Reiben is sent home from the war after being granted 'The Big Boat Home' due to finding and rescuing Private Ryan. Unfortunately, home is not exactly how he remembers it, and he did not come back alone.
1. Prologue

**Dedicated to Phoenix Fire 55. Because she's "Earned It."**

Sunlight filtered in thorough the cracks in the ceiling and glass littered the floor. A thin layer of dust had collected on nearly everything in sight; the rafters had collapsed inward and the store windows were long since blown out.

The young girl had run inside after the shots had finally ceased, tears in her eyes, hands over her ears. She seemed to be trying to put distance between herself and the soldiers, and Private Reiben thought that was a good thing. Unfortunately, his Captain believed otherwise, and had sent him inside the building after her at any rate. Reiben was in a dour mood after what had happened to Caparzo; it ate away at his conscious and what felt like a permanent scowl creased his face.

This whole mission was ridiculous, Caparzo's death the exclamation point of this fact. Reiben couldn't understand what made this "Ryan" kid so damn important, what made him worth the life of one of his friends. It all seemed like a lost cause to him, and he was tempted to quit right now.

But the damn kid had run off.

Reiben knew she had only wanted to help. She had acted as their guide, letting them know where each German outpost was and which way was quickest to the next town. No one wanted to tell her they didn't need or want her help. Reiben assumed it was Jackson who had somehow convinced the Captain into letting the kid stay, seeing as how it was Jacky-boy who had saved her life a couple days back. Reiben hadn't been too keen on the idea; he was never really keen on any kind of idea, unless it involved going to Caen and checking out those pretty French girls.

It didn't help that Carpy was dead because he'd tried to save a kid. Reiben couldn't make sense of the situation. There had to be a million orphans running around filthy, a million families in that condition- there was no way they could stop that. Maybe their tag-along had taken the hint and decided to leave.

These were the thoughts of a jaded New Yorker, and once he realized this, Reiben allowed himself a slight smile. The cigarette in the corner of his mouth wobbled as his lips stretched into a smirk. He took a drag and let out the smoke gently, watching it curl through the air. The trees that remained upright in the small town square glittered with the afternoon rain.

Reiben ducked his head as he stumbled over the rubble, kicking a few beams out of his way. Swearing under his breath, he wound his way around a large piece of concrete and came to the place where the sunlight was brightest.

The girl was sitting on a chair by a broken window, the light making her hair shine a reddish-brown, circling around her head in a tiny halo.

"Hey," Reiben said, and she looked up at him.

He winced. Her eyes were bright with tears. He tried to remember her name, and his brain came up with nothing but old girlfriends. Reiben pursed his lips, the cigarette bobbing up again. The girl looked at it strangely and he tossed it into the rubbish, grinding it out with his boot.

"So you're leaving?" she asked him, voice trembling.

Reiben walked up to her, careful not to hit his head. She looked up at him with large brown eyes and he winced again. He tried forcing away the sympathy but found he couldn't.

"Not yet; we're staying here tonight."

"…Oh…"

She sniffed, looking out the window. Reiben sighed. He moved to sit next to her, his uniform scratching against the floor. The B.A.R. trooper watched her for awhile, noticing how she kept blinking back tears. It was then he remembered her name. _Judy_.

"So you don't want me to come, right? I've overstayed my welcome, huh?"

Reiben frowned. "What makes you say that?"

Judy gazed at him. She blinked, and a tear slid down her cheek.

"The Cap'n," she stammered, "_'We aren't hear to save any fucking kids'_- that's what he said!!"

Reiben was surprised at her swearing. For some reason his ears burned, in spite of the fact he heard that word all the time. He searched for words and found some, to his surprise.

"He was very angry, Judy. A soldier was killed under his command and…"

Reiben trailed off, thinking about what had happened. The events replayed over in his mind; he was figuring it all out now, for the first time.

"And what?" Judy questioned tearfully.

Reiben looked back up at her. She moved a strand of hair from her eyes and waited. Gently, he took her hand.

"It wasn't your fault, kiddo. Carpy…" he sighed, forcing away sudden tears, "It was his fault, I guess. We couldn't do much about it. What happened just…_happened_."

Judy wiped the tears from her eyes. Reiben squeezed her hand, not knowing what else to do. It was bad enough a ten-year-old was running around on her own; he didn't like the idea of her seeing things as horrific as death. It surprised him, the surge of protectiveness he felt.

"I know you're not gonna like this, but…maybe you should stay here, with Company B for right now. You can work your way back to the beach-"

Judy was shaking her head. "No!"

"We'll come back, Judy," Reiben assured her, "Jackson'll come back…I'll come back."

"But I don't want to stay here! I'm so scared, and lonely…the only people I feel safe with are you and Jackson!!" she sobbed.

Reiben took a moment, not expecting to feel so strange. He couldn't believe she trusted him; he hadn't been the nicest guy to her at all. He sighed and took off his helmet; Judy watched him, studying his dirty face.

"…I feel safe here, with you," she said, "But when you and Jackson leave me, I won't be safe again." She paused to wipe away tears with her arm. "I've never felt safe anywhere, Reiben. Not since I was little."

Reiben looked at her crookedly. Now he understood why she was never a step behind Jackson; Judy saw him as her protector. And now she had begun to trust him, too…

He reached up and moved a dark strand of hair from her eyes. She sniffed. Reiben shook his head, laughing lightly.

"Dammit, kid…"

"What?" she demanded.

Reiben smirked, a white smile gleaming out against the filth.

"You had to go and melt my stupid heart, dinnit ya?"

Judy cracked a real grin. "Sorry…"

Reiben rose to his feet, tousling her hair. "No you're not," he replied, "Let's get out of here, okay? We'll be better off out where the Cap'n can see us."

The soldier made a move to leave, but Judy stopped him.

"Wait!"

"What is it?"

Judy waved, signaling for him to come closer. Reiben bent down, and she whispered something in his ear, as if she didn't want to risk anyone hearing it. The private laughed, rolling his eyes.

"I'm serious!" Judy protested, crossing her arms.

Reiben arched an eyebrow at her. She stared at him, and stuck her tongue out. He heaved a sigh and turned his back on her.

"Alright! But if I mess it up..."

Judy jumped on to his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Reiben sighed once more, holding her in place. He adjusted to her weight, unable to see the broad smile stretching across her face. She giggled.

"Here. Watch your head, kid."

Reiben plopped his helmet on her head, which was much too big for her. but she was ready, now. Together, the two of them trudged out of the ruined shop, almost out of place amidst the destruction. For that moment in time, the war didn't seem all that close, momentarily forgotten in the simple act of a piggy-back ride.


	2. And then that Big Boat Home

_It was strange to watch the waves crash up the sides of the battleship, feeling the spray against his face. He could smell the salt in the air and closed his eyes, straining his ears to hear the cry of seagulls instead of the cough of mortars. His stomach knotted up at the thought of going back. Whether or not it was guilt that pulled at him, or just a strange sense of failure, he didn't know. _

_Ryan was alive. Standing just a few feet away, in fact. There was no longer any sense of animosity toward the guy, which Reiben found interesting; everything had nearly melted away after they had set foot on the cold steel of the battleship. And yet…_

_He gripped the railing tightly in his hands, watching as they headed across the channel to England, the grey waves rolling underneath them. They each still wore their uniforms, caked with soot, dirt and blood; Reiben's B.A.R. lay hidden beneath his temporary bed in a dorm not too far from the deck. He wasn't going to let them take her from him. His rifle went home with him, even if he had to steal it from the Army; it was coming back no matter what. _

_Laughter brought him from the strange spell he was in, and he turned to look over his shoulder with a smirk. Upham and Judy were playing some kind of made-up game, the latter fiddling with a small pack of marbles a sailor had given her. Jackson's dog tags shined dully from their place around her neck, clinking together as she moved around. Reiben's smile faded, and his hand slid comfortably into his pocket to feel the cool metal of the cross he'd found in the rubble. His fingers grazed the crinkled paper of Caparzo's letter and another pang of guilt- or was it failure?- hit him. He remembered the crumpled form of the Captain, how far away he'd looked, eyes glazed and blood still soaking through his uniform. Absurdly, Reiben called upon what his uncle had told him at his grandfather's funeral: 'he's in a better place now, son. A place where he isn't sick anymore, where he's forever young and looking down at us with a smile.'_

_Reiben still wondered if it was all a lot of crap. _

_The despair had begun to return to him, and he could practically feel it weighing down his shoulders. Until a small hand grasped two of his fingers, and suddenly it all melted away._

_"…You're really taking me home, Reiben?"_

_His gaze fell to Judy, who looked up at him through flyaway brown hair. One hand clutched Jackson's dog tags, the other still wrapped around the B.A.R. trooper's fingers. Reiben managed a small smile, laying a hand on her head. _

_"You bet your lucky stars, sugarplum."_

*******

The sun showed brilliantly above, bathing everything in a hot yellow glow. The dull blue water shined with the light and waves lapped against the shore. Mrs. Laura Reiben stood on the pier, dressed primly in her Sunday best, complete with a black and white sun hat. Her husband Robert stood beside her, gently linking his arm with hers. He too, was dressed his best that day in a grey suit and hat. One could tell however, that it was a hot day, due to the fact he was sweating beneath his fedora. He sighed and pushed it to the top of his head to wipe away the droplets.

"I can see it," Laura said, her voice strangely calm for a woman who had rushed to get out of the house early, "But how do we know he's on that one?"

"Of course he is, Laura. Do you really think they'd lie to us about something like that?"

She pursed her lips and sighed, her grip tightening on his arm. They began walking further up the pier as the ship docked in at the port, sailors moving to attach the walkway to the deck. Laura could feel tears at the corners of her eyes and her heart was in her throat.

When she saw her son step to the top of that walkway, a fat duffel bag slung over his shoulder and wearing his khaki dress uniform, she burst into sobs. Pulling out of her husband's grasp, she ran up to her son- her _baby_- heels clicking rapidly against the boards.

"Richard!!" she gasped.

He beamed at the sight of her, flashing his familiar brilliant smile, the one he shared with his father. Laura closed her arms around him tightly, barely giving him any time to say anything.

"Hey, Ma."

"Oh my God…Richard," she pulled away from him slightly, saying, "Let me look at you, darling. Oh, my poor baby!"

She pressed her palms against his cheeks and studied his face, as if making sure he was the same boy who'd left for the war just months before. There were small scars across his clean-shaven face and his dark eyes looked wiser, but he was still her baby. He was grinning at her, only this time he shook his head.

"Of course you'd be wearing the church clothes," he said, "Coulda figured that one out."

Laura arched an eyebrow at him warningly, but laughed in spite of herself. She pulled him closer and planted a kiss on each of his cheeks, sniffing back tears. Her son cringed, teasingly sticking out his tongue in disgust.

"Jeez, Ma. Save some for Dad."

She looked at him crookedly, and smacked his arm. He laughed. Laura kissed his cheeks again and finally let him go, wiping away tears with her fingers.

"Thank God you're home, Richard. We're so proud of you, dear."

Robert had walked up to him, holding out his hand. His son shook it, then brought him into a welcoming embrace, patting him on the back.

"Good to see you home, son," Robert said, fighting the tears that now stung behind his eyes.

"Glad to be back, Pop," was the reply.

They pulled away from each other and Robert smiled at him again, pretending to cuff his son on the chin. He even leaned to the left from the 'blow.' Robert chuckled again and mussed the young man's hair. Laura shot him a disapproving look.

"He just got all _clean_, Robert," she scolded, "Don't go dirtying him up, now!" Turning back to Reiben, she continued. "Why aren't you wearing your cap? Where are the rest of your things?"

"Ma, calm down…"

But she fussed over him anyway, straightening his tie and tightening it. Reiben acted like she was choking him, but quickly stopped with the joking around after she gave him 'the look.' His mother sighed and straightened his collar, shaking her head.

"You look so handsome, dear…"

A sudden voice called out from behind them. "Reiben!! I can see the Statue of Liberty! I can _see_ it!!

He turned to look back up the runway and broke into a small grin. Judy stood at the top, pointing excitedly. She was also carrying a small duffel bag; she wore a light blue dress that Reiben had bought for her in England, as well as a shiny pair of Mary Janes. Her hair was pulled back on one side with a barrette and the dog tags were tucked in beneath her shirt. Judy beamed down at Reiben and pointed again.

"She's beautiful! I love her!"

Reiben smirked, waving for the girl to come down the walkway. She did so, stumbling only slightly, the wind blowing her hair from her shoulders. Laura and Robert frowned at her curiously as she came to a stop beside their son. The girl spoke with the slightest German accent, and had wide brown eyes, much like Reiben's.

"Mom, Pop…I'd like you to meet Judith Baumer. She's… a friend of mine. Call her Judy."

Laura looked from the young girl back to her son, confused. Robert was still staring at her, eyes narrowed curiously. Judy sensed their eyes on her and grabbed the soldier's hand, edging closer to him.

"Reiben…" she whispered, "They're staring at me…"

Laura was the first to speak, giving her a disarming smile. "Hello there, sweetheart. I'm Richard's mother, and this is my husband. How do you know my son?"

Judy remained silent, squeezing Reiben's hand tighter. He sighed, looking back up at his mother.

"…She doesn't talk a whole lot around strangers. Give her some time; usually she's a real chatterbox."

"Where did she come from?" Robert asked, a bit rudely. His wife elbowed him slightly.

Reiben smirked. "Well, that's kind of a long story. Do mind if I explain it somewhere else?"

Laura snapped back to her normally cheerful self, reaching up to squeeze his cheek. Reiben winced; Judy cracked a smile, chewing on her nervously on her fingernails.

"Of course, darling. Let's get you _home_! I'll have the perfect lunch set up for us, and then you can tell us how you've been."

"Yeah," Reiben said with a small sigh, "How I've been…"

He let his father take his duffel bag, smirking at how he struggled a bit under the weight. Robert kindly took Judy's bag as well, walking toward a nearby car. He popped the trunk and chucked both of them in the bag; the car bounced slightly, sunlight gleaming off of the chrome. Judy giggled at Robert's exhausted expression.

"What the _hell_ do you got in there, boy? A damn hippopotamus?"

Reiben shrugged, gently coaxing Judy into the backseat of the car. "Nothin' much, Dad."

He smirked at his father's expression, sliding into place beside Judy. As he slammed the door shut, he noticed she was looking around them curiously, running her hands over the leather upholstery. She swung her legs as she inspected the car, then turned to look under the seat. Laura was looking at her strangely, but Reiben leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Oh my God…it's so good to be in a regular car."

"I miss the Jeep," Judy huffed.

Reiben grinned and tousled her hair. Soon they were off driving through the busy streets of New York City, the sun hidden behind the skyscrapers. Judy was fascinated, her nose pressed to the glass of the window. She had never seen anything like this; all of the buildings she remembered had either been broken down from their normal height by bombs, or there were no buildings at all. She marveled at all of the windows that lined each one.

"What are the yellow cars, Reiben?"

"They're called taxis," he answered, "They get you anywhere you need to go, but you gotta wave 'em down first."

Laura watched them interact for a moment before starting up another conversation. She turned in her seat, inducing an annoyed look from her husband which she presently ignored. Reiben was surprised at how much his mother could talk, but then again he hadn't seen her in months, and she was pretty talkative in nature as it were. Through her he learned things he necessarily didn't care to learn, but he appreciated the conversation at any rate. His father grumbled.

"Laura, he doesn't want to learn about the damn store any more than I do!"

"Not true. Richard always showed an interest in my store, haven't you, dear?"

Before Reiben could open his mouth, his father spoke for him. Judy frowned curiously at their discussion.

"He might care about the store alright, but you and I both know it's about gettin' them young ladies to try 'em all on."

Reiben shook his head and laughed. He felt Judy hug his arm and tousled her hair again.

"It's always like this, kiddo. Just you wait 'til we get home."

Judy squeezed him at the sound of that word, burying her face in his shoulder. Laura turned back to face her son after slapping her husband's arm to end the beginning of an argument. She rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I wanted to ask you, Richard- where did they take that poor Ryan boy?"

"…Oh, home, I guess. They didn't want him gettin' off with me…too many opportunities for the press, y'know?" Reiben said, aware that his voice had automatically lowered. He wrung his hands unconsciously, moving to stare out the window. Judy's face was still buried in this shoulder.

"Is he alright?"

"He's fine, Ma. Cool as a cucumber."

"Well, I should hope so. I felt terrible for him, and especially his mother," Laura sighed sadly, "I can't imagine myself in that situation."

Reiben just nodded. "Right…"

That peculiar mixture of guilt and failure had come seeping back into his conscious. He tried desperately to force it away, massaging his forehead in his hand. Judy nudged closer to him and he put his arm around her, finding himself beginning to relax with the action. An image of the Captain flashed across his mind for no real reason, and he blinked, forcing away the dull sting of tears. There was a time to mourn and a time to forget.

Reiben hoped he already had.


	3. Vmail

"_Nobody's heard anything about our boys up on the cliffs," Reiben said, almost angrily, "Not a damn thing. It's almost like they've been a figment of our imagination or something."_

_"Reiben, this sector was god-awful. Who knows what happened there," said Wade gently. _

_"I understand that, Doc, but we should at least be hearing from them or something."_

_After the private's words, the murmuring of the soldiers around them could be heard, and the clanking of tools down on the beach sounded hallow in the still air. The moon was beginning to tilt toward the east, but the stars remained visible, winking brilliantly at them from above. _

_The loud-mouthed soldier from Brooklyn shrugged off his apparent weariness and flopped back on to the ground, beginning to scrape the sand off of his beloved rifle. _

_"I swear to God…I'm never going to the beach again as long as I live," he huffed, "They'd have to drag me by my ankles if they wanted me to come."_

_"Amen to that," said Jackson. _

_The three of them listened to Caparzo talking loudly about some girl he knew back home. He went on and on about how beautiful she was; how long her legs were. Wade rolled his eyes. Reiben shouted over to him,_

_"Yeah, Carpy, you picked up a real Betty Grable!"_

_Caparzo rounded on him, irked at his apparent sarcasm._

_"Shove it, Reiben!" he snapped, "You couldn't get a girl like this as long as you lived!"_

_"Oh, I do believe you're wrong. Gimmie five minutes with her-" he held up a hand, "And she's all mine."_

_Wade smothered a giggle, shaking his head. _

_"This girl has smarts, Reiben, which is something you don't have!"_

_"Who's to say I'm not smart?" he asked innocently, casting a wide-eyed look at Jackson and Wade, who both shrugged. It was obvious they didn't want to insult him._

_Caparzo looked immensely annoyed, but he simply snorted his reply and nothing more was said. Reiben was trying to provoke him on, that fat cigar still hanging from the corner of his mouth._

_"C'mon, Carpy! You embarrassed or what? I'm just jokin' around. Or does this pretty lil' chickadee of yours happen to be a figment of your imagination?"_

_Caparzo growled as Mellish fell into laughter. Behind Reiben, Jackson and Wade were smiling. The burly Italian pointed at the scrawny New Yorker, jabbing the air with his finger._

_"Shut your trap, Brooklyn, or I'm kicking your ass, Ranger or not!!"_

_Reiben took the cigar form his mouth and blew a kiss dramatically toward him, blinking rapidly and smiling like an idiot._

_"Aw, I love you too, Carpy. Such a sweetheart."_

*******

The building was made out of a thick beet- red weathered brick, with arched windows outlined in black. He sat in the car, wearing a newly tailored suit that made him feel like an ass. Reiben pulled at his necktie and ran a hand through his hair, his bangs falling out of place and hanging at his temples. He knew he had to dress up or at least, felt the need to; he couldn't walk in there looking like a slob. He checked himself over in the rear view mirror of his father's car, which he was still not used to driving even after a couple of weeks. Staying at home with his parents wasn't the worst thing in the world, although it was a shame his apartment had been taken over. But he wasn't about to complain- if he didn't complain for the rest of his life, it wouldn't surprise him any.

Blowing out a breath, he stepped out of the car into the warm sunlight, squinting slightly. He adjusted his suit jacket self-consciously and stared up at the building once again, biting his lip. Behind him, the car door slammed for the second time, and the scraping of little shoes sounded in his ear. He felt a hand grab his fingers and looked down at Judy.

"Are you nervous?" she asked him.

Reiben nodded queasily. Judy sighed, fiddling with her little sun hat as it blew up in the breeze.

"Me too," she admitted.

Reiben smirked, squeezing her hand. They were both dressed nicely and were about to step into a mechanic's shop- to anyone else outside, it would look a bit absurd. Reiben bowed his head and lead Judy inside the building, the wooden oval sign above them swinging with a squeak in the breeze. Curiously, Judy looked up at it before going inside.

**Caparzo's Tune Up.**

The brick walls were seemingly smudged with dirt inside, though the rest of the shop looked clean. There was a collection of several different car parts scattered throughout; coils of strange material were piled on to tables and giant tool boxes lined the walls. A few nuts, bolts and screws were scattered across the floor. Judy smiled and kicked one with the tip of her shoe, causing it to roll away from them and spin rapidly across the floor. Reiben gave her a disapproving look, and she smiled apologetically at him. With his hand still clenched in hers, he led her further back into the shop, where the noise was loudest and the clattering of equipment sounded sharp and piercing.

Judy's eyes widened as she watched a shower of sparks fall to the ground ahead of them, the man welding part of a car chassis hidden in the shadows. She was hesitant to move closer to him, but Reiben didn't seem to share her feelings; he led her right toward him, squinting in the lights from the sparks. Judy hid behind him as they stepped up to the man wearing the scarred and filthy welder's mask. Reiben addressed him loudly to be heard over the clattering of tools and machinery.

"Hey, could you help me out here?"

The man pushed the mask to the top of his head, revealing a weathered face that was just as dirty as his mask. Judy gazed around them somewhat wearily.

"Make an appointment with the front desk," the mechanic grunted, "Pull your car around if you need to."

Reiben shook his head. "No, don't need repairs. I need to speak with someone."

The mechanic heaved a sigh, moving to stand from his crouching position.

"Alright, kid. Who do ya need?"

Reiben took a moment, briefly biting his lip and scratching the back of his neck.

"Benito Caparzo," he finally said, letting his arm drop heavily to his side.

The mechanic narrowed his eyes at the young man and the little girl. He reached for a worn rag lying on a nearby car jack and wiped his hands clear of grease before turning back to them.

"Alright," he grumbled, "Follow me. But whatever you two have to talk about, make it fast. Benny ain't been talkin' to people a whole lot nowadays- his fuse is a little short, to put it simply."

Reiben nodded, looking around the shop. Judy followed close behind, practically stepping on his heels. The mechanic led them through the building, where it grew considerably hotter as they moved through the workplace, watching sparks fly and several men stared at them critically as the traveled through. Reiben pulled on his necktie nervously. They stepped through a back door and stepped into the bright sunlight once again. The area was set up like an outdoor office; further back in the lot were numerous cars, gleaming in the sunlight as a few teenaged workers washed them profusely. The mechanic told Reiben and Judy to wait by the door as he walked on ahead toward a fairly tall man standing alone in the lot with a clipboard. The mechanic spoke with him for a few minutes, and he turned his gaze back to the visitors. Reiben felt the piercing gaze and attempted to swallow the lump in his throat. The men waved them over and he began to walk toward him, squeezing Judy's hand tight. The mechanic left them to go back in the shop, and Reiben found himself feeling horribly alone.

Benito Caparzo was taller than he was, six foot five at the most. He had long arms and tanned skin; dark eyes stared down at them decisively, narrowed from both the sun and skepticism. Thinning black hair covered his head and was combed back; bushy eyebrows made it seem as though he was scowling at them, and he was still in fairly good shape, aside from the slight 'beer' belly that bulged slightly over his belt.

"Who the hell are you, _scarno_?" he growled.

Reiben cleared his throat, staring straight into the man's eyes. He spoke with a strong Italian accent.

"Private First Class Richard Reiben, sir, 2nd Ranger Battalion, Charlie Company."

Benito still stared at him with an apparent scowl, crossing his arms. Reiben strained to straighten himself up in the man's presence. The wind blew his hair from his temples. Judy whispered to him.

"You're hurting my hand, Reiben…"

He released his grip slightly, waiting for Benito to speak. Awareness had appeared across the man's hard features.

"Charlie Company," he repeated, "The same Company as my son."

Reiben nodded. "I-I came here to give you something, sir."

He dug into his jacket pocket and delicately revealed the precious group of papers that had been passed from one member of his squad to the others. Benito must have recognized the familiar coloring of the V-mail packaging, because a small gasp escaped him. Reiben handed the letter to him and Caparzo's father took it gently in his fingers.

"…Adrian wanted me to give it to you," Reiben said, aware that his voice was quivering.

He felt Judy wrap her thin arms around his waist and put a hand on her shoulder. The two of them watched on in respective silence as Benito read the letter. The sunlight seemed much brighter than it was; the laughter from the teens washing the car in the distance echoed around the empty-seeming lot. Reiben hadn't read the letter, knowing it was meant only for Benito's eyes and realizing Caparzo would have punched him in the gut if he caught him reading it… The crinkling of papers signaled Benito had finished reading, a strange smile crossing his face. He looked at Reiben once again, and his dark eyes seemed to have lost their hard edge.

"…I cannot thank you enough, Mr. Reiben," he managed to say.

"No, please. That's alright- I'm just…passing it on. And call me Richard, sir."

"Call me Benito, my friend," said Caparzo's father, slapping him heartily on the back. "Please, whenever you come back to the shop…the tune up is free, yes?"

Reiben was about to refuse, but he took one look at the man's strangely sad and joyful expression, finding himself only able to nod. Benito smiled at him, shaking his hand.

"You are a good man, Richard. _Grazie_, soldier, for giving this to me…it as if I am finally able to speak to my son one last time."

Reiben felt the sting of tears burn his eyes, and he pursed lips tightly.

"Adrian was a good friend, sir. And you should be proud of him."

Benito nodded, still grinning. "_Grazie_, Richard. He was blessed with a comrade as good as you, and I am thankful for what you have done. You are always welcome here, soldier. And I am glad to see you home safely."

Reiben managed a crooked smile, finding it hard to make the motion. He blinked the blur from his eyes and shook Benito's hand one final time before bidding him farewell. He and Judy walked back through the shop, and as they left the front door, Reiben picked her up in his arms and hugged her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him as comfortingly.

Judy could feel the tears dripping on to her hair and pressed a kiss to his cheek.


	4. I Promised

_It was heartbreaking to watch, though he tried to tell himself he wasn't paying attention. _

_"Judy?"_

_"Yes?" she sobbed, her voice muffled by the sharpshooter's uniform._

_Jackson brought her closer, putting his chin on her head. He rocked her back and forth slightly, smoothing down her hair._

_"…If anythin' happens to me, now, darlin' I want you to stay with Private Reiben, alright?"_

_Judy nodded, but her grip increased around him. It was almost as though she believed nothing would happen to him if she held him there. Reiben shook his head and looked away, dropping the helmet back on his head. He took a drag from the cigar in his mouth and stared out across the stone bridge rigged with Composition B. But he could still hear them. _

_"Reiben will keep you safe, hon. He might have a loud mouth and an attitude, but he'll take good care of you."_

_The B.A.R. trooper looked over at his friend and scowled. Jackson smirked knowingly at him. The moment passed quickly, however; they knew how serious it was. Judy pulled away from Jackson and looked up at him, sniffing. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, patting her cheek. _

_"Please be careful. _Please_."_

_"I'm always careful, Judy," he said, tousling her hair, "In fact-"_

_He reached for the cross around his neck, but Judy stopped him._

_"No! Keep it-I want you to be safe, too!"_

_Jackson couldn't say no to the look in her eyes. "At least take these."_

_He handed her the dogtags from around his neck. They clattered against the cross as he took them off. Judy took them tightly in her palm and held them close to her._

_"Now you're a soldier," Jackson said._

_Judy smiled weakly at him. Reiben heaved a sigh, staring down at his boots. He wished it would just be over soon. He had to get on the Kettenkrad and lure the Germans this way any minute, but unfortunately he had to stick around to hear this. He couldn't help but think about how Judy would be his responsibility if anything happened- it scared him, more than anything. It was one thing to be responsible for your own life, but for a kid's, too?_

_"I don't want you to go!" Judy whimpered._

_"I'll be fine," the sharpshooter stressed, "I'll be up there watchin' you. I'll keep everyone safe, alright?"_

_The girl hugged him again. The soldier put a hand over his eyes, massaging his temples; Reiben could tell it was just as hard for him as it was for Judy. The crunch of rubble caused them both to look up. It was the Captain._

_"Jackson, you and Parker gotta get up there."_

_He sounded the quietest Reiben had ever heard him. Jackson nodded._

_"Yes, sir."_

_"We'll send you both up a .30 caliber, although with that thing alone," he gestured to the Springfield rifle, "you're a one-man army."_

_"…Yes, sir."_

_Jackson rose to his feet and Judy slid from his grasp. She was beginning to cry. Reiben shook his head once again; he couldn't listen to this anymore. He pitched his cigar and trudged off to where he was posted, crushing the smoke under his boot. _

*******

A car horn blared as he ran across the street, but he kept right on going, ignoring the angry shout of the driver. Reiben rolled his eyes and pushed open the glass door of his mother's lingerie shop simply called, _Laura's_.

"Asshole," he muttered.

Straightening up his clothes, he weaved through the lines of mannequins and display cases of feminine apparel, trying not to stare at any of the women browsing through the selections. He pushed open a door leading to the offices, shouting,

"Ma! I got some food here!"

Instead of his mother, a black and white Boston Terrier came skidding around the corner, nearly throwing himself into the wall. He jumped on Reiben repeatedly, smelling the overpowering scent of a hot lunch. Reiben pushed the dog away, half-laughing.

"Get the hell offa me, Larry. You have your own crap to eat."

The dog continued to follow at his heels, never once taking its gaze from the small brown bag of food Reiben carried. He found his mother sitting at a desk in one of the offices, scribbling on a few papers. She smiled at him gratefully, taking the lunch and giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Thank-you, dear. Can you go out and watch the store while I eat, please? I'll only be a minute."

Reiben nodded. "Sure. Where's Judy?"

His mother shook her head as she rifled through the bag. "I don't know. But see to it that she's not getting into any trouble."

Reiben wanted to ask her why _she_ wasn't watching the little girl, but he thought better of it. He knew which way that conversation would go without even starting it. He left the office, hearing Larry's claws rapping against the tiles behind him. The backroom was completely Judy-free, so he turned on his heel and stepped back out into the actual store, calling her name. He heard a voice coming from behind one of the counters and continued on toward it.

"'_Vor der Kaserne/Vor dem großen Tor/Stand eine Laterne/Und steht sie noch davor'…_"

Reiben frowned, realizing that someone was singing. He hopped behind the counter and found Judy rummaging through the clothes that had been put on layaway, draping a few nightgowns around her neck. He would have laughed had those not have already belonged to someone else. She went right on singing, not having noticed him yet.

"'_So woll'n wir uns da wieder seh'n/Bei der Laterne wollen wir steh'n/Wie einst Lili Marleen'_…" she sounded sad to a degree, then dropped her voice and repeated, "_Vie einst Lili Marleen_.'"

Reiben laughed at her impersonation of a male singer, and she spun around on the spot, her cheeks automatically flushing red. Several hangers hung awkwardly around her neck and the nightgowns were many sizes too big- they grazed the floor as she turned.

"Hi," she squeaked.

"Hi," Reiben grinned, "Y'know those are already paid for- you shouldn't be wearing them like that."

Judy hurriedly pulled them from around her neck, tossing them back on the shelf she'd found them. Reiben arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry," she told him quickly.

"That's alright, kid, but how about we _fold_ all those first?"

Judy nodded and clumsily began to refold the clothes she'd mussed. Reiben shook his head slightly and helped her out. Once their task was finished, Reiben went to man the cash register, leaving Judy run around behind the counter as she pleased, curiously inspecting everything she wasn't used to seeing. She wondered how girls could wear such clothing- none of it looked very comfortable.

Reiben was working with a very lovely young lady, a girl with copper red hair and vivid blue eyes. Her hair was piled on to her head in large curls and she wore a form-fitting green blouse and black skirt. She blushed slightly as Reiben took the pink negligee from her to punch in the price on the register.

"I don't normally buy from this place," she began shyly, "But you have a wonderful selection."

Reiben smiled. "Thank you much, ma'am."

"Valerie," she said.

He looked up at her and their eyes locked. Reiben's grin broadened as he carefully passed the negligee back to her, now wrapped in a small plastic bag.

"Thank you much, Valerie."

She would have said more to him, but Judy started singing again, now wearing Reiben's fedora and stomping around behind the counter.

"'_Und alle Leute soll'n es seh'n/ Wenn wir bei der Laterne steh'n/ Wie einst Lili Marleen_,'" she chirped, twirling around. "_Wie Einst Lili Marleen_!"

Valerie seemed very confused by what the girl was saying. Reiben bit his lip and turned to face her again, but the look on her face told him everything: the strange girl behind the counter was singing in _German_. Valerie quickly turned on her heel, muttering,

"Good bye, Mr. Reiben."

"…Have a nice day, ma'am," he called to her half-heartedly as she left the store.

Judy came up beside him, hopping up on the counter. She looked up at Reiben from under the brim of his fedora, kicking her legs. He frowned at her.

"Don't sing that song anymore, Judy."

She looked surprised. "Why not?"

"Because, people are offended by it," Reiben replied, putting the money in the register.

"But, Reiben…my brother taught me this song! I used to listen to it every night while he was in North Africa-"

"Well you can't sing it here!" he snapped, "Learn it in English and then we'll talk. You gotta understand that people in Brooklyn don't want to hear a German song!"

Judy nodded wordlessly, looking genuinely hurt by his words. She took the fedora from her head and sighed, watching her shoes. Reiben pursed his lips. He pulled her into a one-armed hug and she seemed to forgive him slightly, returning his little half-smile.

They worked at the shop until five, and closed it up by five-fifteen to head home for the day. The store wasn't too far from where the Reibens lived, so it was easy to walk home. Laura watched as her son interacted with the German girl, pointing out shops he used to go to as a child or where his friends used to play stickball. Larry barked as they traveled, pulling on his leash to run after a taxi, nearly yanking Reiben off his feet. Judy laughed at him hysterically. Laura let out a long sigh.

They finally reached their home- a fair sized Brownstone just inside the perimeter of Brooklyn Heights- around six. Judy ran up the steep stair case and waited at the door, her little Mary Janes scraping on the concrete. Laura fished for her keys and let them inside. Larry came skidding through the front door just ahead of Judy and she giggled at him, kicking off her shoes to run into the Living Room. Reiben bent down to pick them up and set them next to his on the mat that faced the wall to their right. Laura closed the door behind them and stepped into the kitchen. Reiben beat her there, quickly reaching for the mess of papers he'd left on the kitchen table. He stacked them all together hastily, flashing his mother a quick smile. She crossed her arms, her eyes catching bold yellows letters that read 'Tennessee' on a brochure.

"What is all that, Richard?"

"Oh, uh…nothin' much. Just doin' a little research is all…"

He piled all the papers into the corner and placed his hat on top of it, smirking as he heard Judy and Larry roughhousing in the room nearby. With a small sigh, Reiben fell down into a chair and reached for the newspaper. He suddenly exclaimed, calling Judy in. She came running, looking almost scared.

"What is it, Reiben?!"

"Sweetheart, we're in Cherbourg! We've captured it!" he told her excitedly, "We're pushing them back! General Bradley knows what he's doing, I tell you what." Judy hugged him happily as Laura watched on, confused. "Oh, you know what this means, kiddo?"

"What?"

"We get all that left over lingerie," he laughed.

Judy wrinkled her nose. "Bad joke, Reiben," she said.

She left him to go back to playing with Larry, the soldier shaking his head. He read the article and sighed.

"Thank God…" he whispered.

Laura bit her lip, turning back to work at the stove. "Richard, dear," she began, "I meant to tell you, Rita and Lorraine wanted to know if you could get in touch with them."

Reiben made a face, still reading the paper.

"Ah, no thanks. It's been way too long."

Laura sighed again, hanging her head. She turned to face her son, watching as he stared intently at the news of the fighting in France. Almost carefully, she walked up to the table and sat down. She reached out and gently laid her hand on his arm. He looked up at her curiously.

"We need to talk, Richard."

He folded up the paper. "What about?"

"Judy."

"No. We can't discuss that right now," he said, shaking his head.

"Alright. But let me tell you something, darling. I'm worried about you; ever since you came back home, you've been different. And you and Judy…" Laura paused, as if trying to explain it better. "You're just too young to know how to care for her, Richard."

"Are you serious, Ma?" he said, his voice rising slightly.

"Yes! You…you don't speak to her correctly- you discuss the war with her. You haven't even told your Father and me one story from when you were over there. And she still calls you by your last name… A girl that young just doesn't talk about things like that. She can't understand it, honey."

Reiben scowled. "Don't talk to me like I'm a kid," he retorted.

"Well I have to, because I don't know how else to reach you at this point!" Laura told him, feeling tears sting at the corners of her eyes. "You're so quiet at dinner now; you won't talk to any of your old girlfriends; and when your father asks you about the war or Private Ryan, you say nothing. We can help you if you just talk to us-"

"Don't bring him into this," Reiben hissed.

"Private Ryan is why you're back home, Richard! We only want to know what you did to save him- it was such a _brave_ thing, bringing him back-"

"No, it wasn't!" Reiben howled, "It wasn't! I don't deserve any credit for that, so stop treating it like it's some noble thing I did. I didn't save America, alright?! I just brought one lousy shit-kicker home in time for the Fourth of July!!"

Laura was shocked. "Richard Michael!!"

"No, you wanna know the truth, Ma?! Alright, I'll tell you, right here, right now." He prodded the table with his finger furiously; she could tell he was shaking with rage. "That mission was for nothing. I didn't give a _shit _about Ryan or his brothers, because the whole time we were looking for that asshole, I kept losing brothers of my own. And the whole goddamn country thinks it was all worth it- well it's not!! Nothing is worth having my squad killed- us not being able to save Wade, Carpy gettin' hit by a sniper, Jackson dying in the one place you're supposed to be safe! NOTHING is worth that, so you tell me, Ma…." Reiben's voice cracked and he forced away the angry tears. "You tell me…is that what you fucking wanted to hear?!"

Laura was too stunned to say anything. She slowly got up from her seat and walked back to the stove, her arms crossed. Reiben nosily pushed back his chair and stormed out of the room. He trudged up the stairs to his old room and slammed the door shut behind him. The tears finally came to him and he slumped up against the wall, sliding down to the base, his shoulders shaking with sobs. He wrapped his arms around his knees and buried face shamefully. The door creaked open after a few minutes, but he hardly reacted; his thoughts were filled with his squad mates, each one of their faces.

"Reiben…?"

Judy wasn't sure if he could hear her, but she edged closer to him, sitting beside him against the wall. She leaned against him and he pulled her close. For some reason, she felt like crying as well, and rubbed her eyes to no avail. He was relieved to hear someone call him 'Reiben' again and sighed shakily.

"…I'm sorry I caused you to have a fight with your mother," she told him through her tears. He took in a hiccupping breath and shook his head.

"It's not your fault, sugarplum."

She hugged him tighter. "Maybe I should go away, y'know? I could be a street kid or something, like you were telling me about."

Reiben kissed the top of her head, rocking side to side. He smoothed down her hair, tears still bright on his cheeks. He managed a laugh at her comment.

"No, sweetie…no. I made you a promise; I made him a promise. And I'm not going back on that ever- I swear on my pathetic life, I won't. I'll keep you safe."

Judy leaned up and kissed his cheek, tucking her head under his chin. He held her close in a tight embrace.

"I love you, Reiben," she said.

He felt a smile crack across his face, and for the first time, he welcomed it.

"I love you too, baby…"


	5. My Own Lili Marlene

**Author's note: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. ;) But it's an important one. This part of the story will have to be two chapters, so I'm sorry if you're left wanting a little more. ;D Hope you enjoy!**

"_Hey, bumpkin."_

_Jackson peered up at Private Reiben, the B.A.R. tucked under one of his arms. He was smoking a fat cigar, and his helmet was missing. _

_"Mornin' Reiben," Jackson sighed, raising his eyebrows._

_Reiben blew out a puff of smoke. He tried to make a smoke ring, but failed. Jackson laughed at him._

_ "Aw, shut yer trap. I don't get to practice all the time like you do," the private replied in his Brooklyn accent. _

_"What makes you say that?"_

_"'Cos back home, I got a job." _

_Jackson shook his head. He peered up at Reiben, squinting in the dim light. _

_"You think I don't have one, city boy?"_

_Reiben looked thoughtful, chewing on the end of cigar. He blew out a puff of smoke and replied,_

_"Yeah, I don't think you do."_

_Jackson shook his head again as Reiben plopped down in the grass a few feet away, the barrel of his B.A. R. making a deep groove in the dirt. _

_"That's the problem with you Yankees. Y'all ain't got a sense of work ethic. You just hang around your fancy bars and watch your baseball games," Jackson waved his hand to emphasis the indifference, "Sputtering those loud mouths of yours without thinking for one second."_

_Reiben knew he was joking, but the statements still jabbed him with a pang of anger. _

_"Like you're any better, runnin' around barefoot, rifle in one hand, bottle of Jack Daniels in the other," the B.A.R. trooper fired back, the fat cigar clamped between his teeth. _

_Jackson had to laugh at that. _

_"Don't really care for Jacky none," he admitted, "I like the important whiskey, myself." _

_Reiben raised his eyebrows leaning back slightly. He crossed his arms._

_"See what I mean?" he said._

_Jackson just shook his head. They sat there in silence for a moment, eyes scanning the horizon. It was hard not to peer down at the beach; so much was going on at once. A small cluster of soldiers were walking by, and Reiben seemed to recognize one of them. He grabbed the man's arm, and he exclaimed,_

_"Hey-! What's the idea?!"_

_The private tore his arm from Reiben's grasp angrily._

_"Take it easy; I just wanna know if 'dere's been any news on the guys at Pointe Du Hoc."_

_"How the hell should I know? I'm no Ranger," the private huffed. _

_"I was only askin'! Keep your shirt on, pal!"_

_Jackson lit up a K-ration cigarette, watching as the soldier stalked away, friends in tow. _

"_Hey, we're all in this, y'know! It ain't my fault!" Reiben shouted after them. _

_He sighed when they had gone, shaking his head. "Jeezus Christ..."_

_Jackson glowered at him and punched him hard, right on the arm. Reiben was taken aback so much he shouted out. He nearly swallowed his cigar._

"_What the __fuck__, Jackson?!" he yelped, coughing clouds of smoke._

_"That's for blasphemy, you happy idiot."_

_"Blasphemy?! Are you fucking serious?!"_

_Jackson laughed as he puffed on the cigarette._

"_Best make yourself right with the Lord, Reiben."_

_The B.A.R. trooper growled at him, still massaging the spot. _

_"Right! Meanwhile, I can't use this arm because you decided to get all preachy."_

_Jackson rolled his eyes. Reiben would have said something else, but decided not to. He realized he shouldn't be complaining about what had happened, but Jackson just didn't do things like that. The sharpshooter smiled again, and they were back to normal. _

_"So did you know that guy back there, or was that just a showcase of your wonderful social skills?"_

_Reiben laughed sarcastically, sticking his tongue out. "Actually, I knew that guy. His name's McKenzie. And, as you so carefully observed, bumpkin, he's a bit of an asshole."_

_"I noticed," Jackson nodded, "So no one's heard about our guys up on them cliffs?"_

_"Not a one." _

_"Well…that's always reassuring…"_

_"You don't have to tell me. I know a guy in Fox Company up there- Augie Simpson. You ever heard of him?" Reiben asked. _

_"Is he a Corporal?" and Reiben nodded, "Then, yeah, I've seen 'em. He's good guy. Goes to chapel often."_

_Now it was Reiben's turn to roll his eyes._

_"It all goes back to church, doesn't it?" he muttered._

_"What?"_

_"Nuthin." Reiben raised his eyebrows, shaking his head. He looked over at Jackson and punched his shoulder before heaving himself to his feet. _

_"See ya in two shakes, Jacky-boy."_

*******

The gathering clouds seemed to reflect the mood that had fallen over the Reiben household, which made it all the more appropriate that Richard was leaving for the week. He piled the last of his luggage into the back seat of his father's car, who had been gracious enough to lend it to him. Oddly enough, he seemed less bothered by his son's new behavior than Laura, who was still smarting from her argument with him a few days earlier.

"Tell me again why you're doing this, son," Robert wanted to know, leaning against the side of the car.

Reiben sighed. "You already forced it out of me last night, and gracefully I might add, while I was trying to put Judy to bed."

He allowed himself a smile and his father laughed, shaking his head. Robert clapped his hand on Reiben's shoulder, gripping it tightly.

"Right. Still pretty sharp at the ripe old age of twenty-four. Just make sure that you are the most charming man they've ever met, do you hear me? Wouldn't want them kicking you out because of the way you talk when you're home."

"Jeez, Pop. I will- am like eight-years-old again?" Reiben asked with a roll of his eyes.

Robert chuckled, squeezing his son's cheek jokingly. Judy came running around the side of the car, hugging Reiben's arm. She smiled up at his father and he returned the gesture. The two had become buddies over the last few weeks, which Reiben was thankful for- Robert had even taken Judy down to the ballpark to give her a tour of the place. Reiben thought his father was getting used to the idea of having a little girl around the house, but he wouldn't admit to it.

"We better get going," he said.

"Of course," Robert nodded. He dropped his voice as Judy beamed and ran back around to the passenger's side. "But if you're not going to take care of yourself, at least be careful for her sake."

"I'll guard her with my life," Reiben replied with a smirk, "Take care, Dad."

Robert slapped him on the back as he moved to slide behind the wheel. Judy waved to him excitedly.

"Bye, Mr. Reiben!!"

"Bye, cutie pie," he replied with a wave of his own.

Robert watched as his son started up the car, shutting the door as he did so. Judy leaned back in her seat and waited patiently.

"We'll be there for five days," Reiben said, "I'll call you when we get there and we'll come home on the third- tell Mom I promise that."

"I will, Richard. Be careful."

"Always am," he sighed.

Robert watched as the engine growled and the car started forward, chrome flashing in the sun as they turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

Reiben could tell Judy was tired, and he was certain the ride on the highway wasn't helping to keep her awake. He'd promised her that the trip would be fun, and she believed him of course, having never seen America before aside from what she'd seen in magazines. She was full of questions more than anything, asking what each green sign above them meant, how long it would take them to arrive and many other things. Reiben was grateful to have someone to talk to again. When she had fallen into a rare bout of silence, he reached into the bag beside him and pulled out a few pamphlets and a catalogue. He tossed them in her lap and she jumped.

"What's this?" she asked, taking them in her hands.

"I don't know how well you can read English, kiddo, but I think the pictures speak for themselves."

Judy frowned curiously. "Houses?" she said.

Reiben nodded. "I'd like to know which one you prefer."

"…Well, they're all very pretty, Reiben. I don't know if I can choose. Why do you need to know?"

She looked over at him, still frowning. He smiled, eyes still focused on the road ahead.

"Because, Judy. I'm going to buy one of them so that we have a place to live. What else is a house for?"

She stared at him for a few seconds, as if not really believing what he'd said. The idea of a home, one that she and Reiben would share all by themselves, seemed almost foreign to her. In fact, she was comfortable with the Brownstone they had in Brooklyn, even though she'd just gotten used to falling asleep with the sound of traffic outside. Reiben looked back at her after awhile, worried that something was wrong.

"Judy?" he began.

She snapped out of a little daze. "Oh, sorry…"

"…You want to live in a house, don't you?"

Judy gazed down at the pamphlets in her hands, brushing the dark hair from her eyes. The homes all looked so colorful and perfect. She couldn't stop the memories from her own flooding back to her. Shamefully, she felt the sting of tears and was surprised to find a sparkling droplet on the paper beside her thumb. Reiben must have noticed this, because he said,

"I'm sorry, Judy. I realize things are already moving a bit fast…and the argument's got you all messed up-" he leaned over to grab the papers from her, but she held on to them.

"No, it's my fault. I'm just…a little homesick, that's all."

Reiben nodded. "Okay. I won't press the matter any further."

They traveled on the road for several hours. Judy fell asleep halfway through Pennsylvania and Reiben had to wake her up to show her they were crossing the state line into Ohio. She rubbed her eyes and smiled as they passed the sign that welcomed them to the Buckeye State. The sun was beginning to lean toward the West, and Reiben stopped them for some food at a roadside diner. Judy ate her first batch of French Fries and her first Chocolate milkshake. They had to stop overnight at a motel in Kentucky, but Reiben stressed they were only three hours away from their destination. His words seemed to give Judy some strength, but she was still very tired when they piled into the car to begin the journey once again.

Reiben knew they were there as soon as the sun came up fully that day. Rays of light washed over the highway, and a peculiar smell came over them- a swampy, moist smell of dirt and lush vegetation. Judy was asleep, lying horizontally on the seat, her arms tucked under her head and her feet in Reiben's lap. Bottle green fields surrounded them, occasionally pocked with a golden stretch of rye or wheat. He could see farmers working in the fields and cows grazing lazily in the pastures. The car turned from the highway on to a severely uneven road; Reiben swerved to avoid several potholes in his path. He rolled down his window to breathe in the new smell of the land, his 'city lungs' not used to such clean air. Stifling a cough, he looked over at the sleeping Judy beside him and gently shook her awake. She frowned and squinted in the light, stretching.

"Are we there?" she groggily asked him, digging a knuckle into her eye.

Reiben couldn't keep the smile from his face. "Yes we are, Sleeping Beauty."

Judy straightened up and gazed out the windshield. She actually gasped, and Reiben laughed, the humid air blowing their hair all around them.

"Oh, wow…" Judy breathed.

"You could say that again," Reiben grinned.

Stretching out before them, to what felt like infinity, was Tennessee.

The house was a modest two stories in height, sitting by itself at the end of a dirt road. The white paint was peeling slightly, but that didn't take away from its charm; the blue shutters were accented by a few flower boxes. There was a wraparound porch and a rocking chair sat to the left of the front door. A weathered red pickup truck sat in the yard off to the right by itself. The house was seemingly surrounded by rye fields, but the yard visible appeared to be fairly large. A few peach trees were to be seen up ahead, leaves listing in the breeze, reflecting the hot sun. The name painted in bold black letters on the mailbox at the end of the driveway read: **Jackson**.

Reiben had underestimated the anxiety. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel after Judy read him the directions to the house, and when he saw it sitting there, just as it had been described to him, his stomach twisted itself into a knot. Judy folded up the paper with the directions written on it in Reiben's slanted scrawl and folded her hands in her lap, looking over at him happily. Her face fell as soon as she realized he had turned pale.

"Reiben, it'll be okay."

The car was chugging along at a crawl now, its shiny black finish now plastered with a layer of dust. He swallowed hard, eyes unconsciously widened as the house drew closer on the horizon; Reiben could read the name on the mail box. A flourish of ridiculous thoughts came to him and he shook his head.

"Judy, what if they hate me for doing this?"

"Why would they hate you?" she asked him, "They'll probably hate me if they aren't going to like anyone."

"Nah, they'll love you, kiddo. I'm sure of that. But me…they won't like me."

Judy crossed her arms and frowned at him, disliking how slow the car was moving. She was sure she could get out and run faster than he was going.

"Jackson would be laughing at you, Reiben," she said.

That seemed to get through to him a little bit; he blinked, and the car increased its speed. Judy sighed, watching as the house came further into view. She smiled at the sight of it, realizing it was just how Jackson had described it.

"We're going to be fine," she said.

Reiben nodded, pulling slightly at his tie. "Yeah…we'll be fine…"

The car pulled into the driveway with a small lurch over the uneven dirt. Reiben yanked up the lever into park and sighed, listening to the engine purr slightly as they waited there. Judy looked over at him wearily, disliking the gaze he had set on the house. The silence was much more prominent after Reiben took the keys from the ignition, and they could hear the buzzing of insects and birds tweeting in the distance. The long grass of the front yard rippled in a strong breeze. Reiben jumped slightly after Judy grabbed his hand.

"Let's go," she told him quietly.

He nodded, popping open the car door. Almost instantly, a wave of hot air came over him and he raised his eyebrows, clearly not expecting it. He was thankful for the wind. Judy walked around the front of the car, hearing the engine still popping after recent use. She was wearing the light blue dress he'd bought for her in London, and she claimed it was her favorite. Judy linked arms with them as they walked up the small stretch of grass to the front porch of the home. Her eyes caught the red and white flag hanging in the left window, the blue star having been replaced with gold after learning of their son's death in action. Floorboards creaked beneath their feet as they came to a stop in front of a weathered dark green door. Reiben made a fist and rapped his knuckles a few times against the wood. There was a slight pause and the door finally opened, revealing a tall middle-aged man with short brown hair, wiping his face with a handkerchief. His skin was somewhat leathery and tanned; he wore dark trousers and a plain white crew shirt, which was stained slightly with dirt. Reiben was slightly intimidated by him, feeling like a jerk in his tailored 'city clothes' but the man smiled at him and he relaxed.

"Richard Reiben, 2nd Ranger Battalion, Charlie Company, am I right?" the man asked in his Southern drawl.

Reiben smiled. "You forgot Private First Class, sir."

The man laughed a somewhat high-pitched cackle, leaning forward to shake his hand, ruffling the soldier's hair with the other.

"Come on in, son. A friend of Daniel's is a friend of ours!"

"Thank-you, sir," Reiben told him as the man slung an arm across his shoulders, leading him inside. Judy followed behind curiously, but with a smile.

"My name is Abner- it's so nice to finally meet you, Mr. Reiben."

"Likewise, sir," he answered, reaching for Judy, who had been wandering around the little entrance hall aimlessly.

Abner seemed to finally realize she was there for the first time and smiled down at her warmly. He put a hand on her shoulder, saying,

"And you must be Judy, I presume?"

"Yes, sir," she answered somewhat sheepishly.

Abner chuckled at her weariness, gesturing to the rest of his home. "Let me get you two something to drink; you've come such a long way."

They followed him through the living room to the kitchen, which was fairly small, with a small round table in the center of the room decorated with a blue-and-white checkered cloth and a vase full of vivid red poppies. A long window ran across the wall in front of the sink, and one could see the tall grass of the back yard through it. If Reiben squinted, he could just catch a glimpse of the sunlight sparkling on the surface of a small pond as well. He was so caught up with his surroundings that he hardly realized Abner had gotten Judy a glass of lemonade and had asked him what he preferred.

"Struck dumb there for a minute, son?" Abner laughed.

Reiben blinked. "I guess so…"

Judy rolled her eyes over the brim of her lemonade glass, but still smiled. Before she could say anything to him, an older woman walked into view, followed by a large red coonhound, who bounded right past her and reared up on its hind legs to put two large paws on Reiben's shoulders, tail wagging furiously. Reiben grinned and scratched the dog behind the ears, but the woman heaved a sigh and managed to pull it off of him.

"Get down now, Lucy" she scolded, "The man just got here and you're ready to get him all dirtied up." She turned her attention to their visitors and smiled. "You must be Richard and Judy…my name is Lily- it's so wonderful to meet you two."

She shook their hands, Judy shyly returning the gesture. Lily had the same smile as Jackson had, along with long blonde hair and deep green eyes. She wore working clothes as well: dark trousers and a forest green blouse. She wore a handkerchief around her head, keeping her bangs from falling into her eyes.

"I have to say, when you decided to visit, we've been cleaning non-stop," Lily laughed, moving to lean against her husband.

"We don't mean to be of any inconvenience, Ma'am," Reiben said.

Lily shook her head, waving away his comments. "Don't worry your handsome little head, son. You're welcome here! In all truth, we've wanted to meet you since Daniel wrote about you in his letters from his time training with the Rangers."

Reiben chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. He wasn't exactly the most polite guy in the world back in Basic. In fact, he'd constantly made fun of Jackson's accent; unfortunately the sharpshooter had been forced to share bunk beds with Reiben as well, and every night before Light's Out, Reiben would punch the top bunk and cackle, 'put away that girlie magazine, Jacky-boy!' before falling into his own bed to sleep.

He sincerely hoped nothing of that detail made it into any of those letters home…

"Mama," came a sudden voice, "I can't find the broom anyplace! When's the last time you-"

A tall teenage girl had walked into view, stopping her sentence short after catching a glimpse of their new visitors. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and warm amber-colored eyes that stared critically at Reiben and Judy. Her knee-length dress was white, with prints of pink roses scattered around it; she was barefoot, unlike her parents. The girl crossed her arms and frowned at Reiben.

"This is our daughter, Evangeline," Lily explained, "Sweetheart, these are Daniel's friends from New York."

Reiben nodded to her. "Hello, Evangeline," he said.

She scowled at him. "Hello, I suppose," the teen replied with obvious distaste, "It's so nice to have you invade my home so _another _Army man can tell me my brother died saving Private Ryan!"

"Evie!" Lily exclaimed.

"Don't call me that!" the girl fired, "Only he called me that!" She rounded on Reiben next. "I have nothing to say to you, sir. I've heard enough!!"

Evangeline turned on her heel, her hair and dress whirling around her as she went, storming out of the kitchen to the back porch. The dog followed behind her, barking, and the door slammed. Reiben sighed, biting his lip.

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson…"

"No, it's not your fault, Richard," Abner told him, shaking his head, "Eve's been taking this differently than we have…it's been almost a month since we got that letter, and yes, it still hurts us. But Lily and I know that Daniel wouldn't want us to mourn forever. Not a day goes by where I don't think about him…"

"That makes two of us, sir," Reiben said.

Abner smiled at him. "Thank-you, son. That's why we asked for you to come- we figured it would help all of us move forward, you included."

Judy watched as Reiben fidgeted where he stood, grabbing his hand tighter.

"I...I'm not 'Miracle Man,' Mr. Jackson…"

Lily shook her head, smiling at him. "You don't need to be, darlin'."

After a short lunch, Reiben followed Lily upstairs, carrying his suitcase as he went. Judy was carrying hers as well, struggling with it slightly as they climbed the creaky wooden staircase. Lily waited for them with a smile, obviously excited to show her visitors around.

"There's a bathroom right down there, so you know where it is in case of emergencies," she explained with a small laugh, "And the rooms to your left are mine and Eve's."

"Where's our room?" Judy asked.

Reiben noticed Lily hesitated. He looked over at her with a frown of concern. She gazed back at him apologetically.

"Well…we were lucky enough to find a house that could fit all of our children…but I'm sorry to say we don't have a guest area. You'll have to stay in Daniel's old bedroom- is that alright with you, dear?"

Reiben balked mid-step, nearly dropping his suitcase; Judy felt her stomach clench itself into a knot. Lily half-winced at their expressions.

"If not, Richard, Abner and I can always stay there and you can have our room."

Reiben cleared his throat. "Oh, no. I couldn't do that to you, Ma'am. It's generous enough that you've welcomed us into your home as perfect strangers- I couldn't ask for more."

Lily seemed touched by his words. She nodded, walking them further down the hallway, returning the smile that had stretched across the young man's lips. Reiben's face fell as soon as her back was turned to her, and as they came toward the room, his stomach churned with butterflies. Judy let out a small gasp after they arrived, leaning into him.

The room was fair-sized- bigger than Reiben's back in Brooklyn. A few thread rugs lay on the hardwood floors, and a large window to the right of the bed let in all of the sunlight. Pictures hung on the walls: Jackson and his sister, with the family dog and as a boy with his father, proudly holding up his first hunting rifle. The dresser was piled with old baseball cards and blue ribbons he'd won for coon hunting competitions; a beaten pair of work boots sat in front of the closet door, and they seemed almost as though Jackson had only just used them.

Reiben was the first inside, followed by Lily, who had folded her hands together to watch how he reacted to the room. Judy walked straight toward the window, her large brown eyes gazing outside through the screen of two trees. She looked back at Mrs. Jackson and asked,

"Ma'am, are those…lilac trees?"

Lily smiled. "They certainly are, dear. They always bring such a lovely smell to the house in the spring and summertime."

Judy let out a half-smile, turning back to gaze out the window, her fingers pressed against the glass. Reiben dropped his suitcase on the floor in front of the bed, still looking around. Lily gently grabbed his arm.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" she whispered.

Reiben nodded, watching as Judy continued to look out the window, bathed in soft yellow sunlight.

"I think we'll be alright."

After a tense dinner, mainly in part to Evangeline's unwillingness to speak the entire time, Reiben bid the Jacksons goodnight and coaxed Judy off to bed as well. He was somewhat surprised by how dark it was outside; he couldn't see anything through the pitch blackness. Insects were buzzing relentlessly as he shuffled across the hallway from the bathroom, careful not to make the boards creak as he went. He stepped into Jackson's old room, squinting slightly from the light of the desk lamp in the corner. It was still fairly warm inside the house, so Reiben was wearing his undershorts and a white crew tank top. With a small sigh, he ran a hand through his hair and surveyed the room smiling lightly Judy, who was already asleep, her back turned to him. She wore a light yellow night gown with a few ribbons tied into bows along the bottom. As Reiben moved to sit on the bed, she sighed in her sleep as he clicked off the light.

He lay on his side in the darkness, facing away from Judy and staring at the angular shadows that fell over the walls. It was too quiet; every little sound he made seemed amplified by the silence. For the first time in his life, he was desperate to hear the traffic of New York City.

"…Reiben?" came Judy's tired voice.

"What is it, kiddo?" he asked with a yawn, wrestling with his pillow.

He felt a small hand press against his back and stopped struggling.

"I can't sleep."

Reiben frowned at the tearful edge to her voice, rolling over on to his left side in order to face her. Judy's worried eyes shined strangely in the dull moonlight as she cuddled up beside him, resting in the crook of his arm. She turned her back to him and edged closer. Reiben sighed and wrapped his arm around her protectively, gently smoothing down her hair.

"Me either, but we have to try," he whispered.

"Everything is just like he said it was," Judy answered, sniffling, "Everything. Even the lilac trees and the pond…"

Reiben brushed the bangs from her forehead and watched the leaves quivering in the breeze outside the window. He could just smell the faint scent of the lilac flowers; Judy whimpered.

"I just _miss_ him, Reiben."

"I know you do," he told her, nodding slightly, "Believe me, I know. I do, too. But we have to be here, sweetheart; we have to let these people know they aren't alone."

Judy paused a moment, as if thinking. Reiben fingered a strand of her hair, gently pulling away a few snarls he found.

"Why does it make you feel so lonely, even if you aren't?" she whispered.

Reiben shook his head, unconsciously pulling her closer. "Because it has to, I guess," he replied softly, "Because in end it makes you stronger."

He looked down at her, noticing she wiped away a few tears from the corners of her eyes. Reiben leaned forward to plant a kiss on her head, giving her a hug. They lay in silence for a moment, listening to the wind in the trees.

"What was the song you were singing that day in the shop?" Reiben suddenly asked.

Judy rolled on her back to look up at him. "You mean, 'Lili Marlene?'"

"Yeah, that's the one. Sing it for me."

"Okay. I do know it in English."

Reiben thought for a minute. "Nah, sing it in German- sounds prettier that way. Maybe it'll help us both sleep. An' maybe I'll learn something for a change."

Judy beamed, cuddling closer to him again. She soon beagn to half-whisper, half-sing the lyrics.

"'_Vor der Kaserne /Vor dem großen Tor/ Stand eine Laterne/ Und steht sie noch davor_."

"Now what does that mean?" Reiben asked.

Judy giggled. "'_Underneath the lantern/by the barrack gate/ darling I remember/ the way you used to wait,'_" she whispered.

Reiben nodded, and Judy continued.

"'So_ woll'n wir uns da wieder seh'n/ Bei der Laterne wollen wir steh'n/ Wie einst Lili Marleen.'_"

"And what's that one?'

" ''_Twas there you whispered tenderly/that you loved me/you'd always be/ my Lili of the lamplight/ my own Lili Marlene._'"

Judy smiled as Reiben nodded again. She continued to sing the whole song, broken only by Reiben's questions and an occasional yawn. Soon, she fell asleep. Reiben kissed her cheek and brought the sheets up to cover her, falling back into his own pillow to close his eyes.

Reiben fell asleep dreaming of a girl standing beneath a lantern on the street, for the first time enjoying something that had once belonged to Germany.


End file.
